Introduction

[OttawaWill]

Good day Folks.
I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.
My name is Will and I live in Ottawa Canada.
I am Part of the V4muscle bike forum as I currently own a 2002 Honda Magna.
I have been looking some something a little bigger. Looking at the manufacturer's current offerings and what has been released in recent years I couldn't find anything that really spoke to me and warranted $30,000.
I am a Honda Fan and The Valks have always been interesting to me. I have been watching videos online and watching the local classifieds. I've got my eye  on one that I need to go and make an offer on... Then I  need to come up with a justification for buying a 3rd motorcycle...
If this is anything like the other forum I belong to I'm sure that all the questions I have will have already been posted multiple times and resolved and closed a few times.
Thanks to all the current and past contributors to this forum!
OttawaWill

[hubcapsc]

Welcome... I hear Magnas are terrific  ... I'm sure Valkyries are...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

Welcome Will. 

[Valkorado]

If this is anything like the other forum I belong to I'm sure that all the questions I have will have already been posted multiple times and resolved and closed a few times.
Thanks to all the current and past contributors to this forum!
OttawaWill

Welcome to the asylum! 

Yep, most of your questions have likely already been hashed over in detail on the Tech board.  If not there are lots of knowledgeable folks there that will be glad to discuss about anything related to these old beasts, including what is the best oil to use.   

[OttawaWill]

Welcome to the asylum! 

Yep, most of your questions have likely already been hashed over in detail on the Tech board.  If not there are lots of knowledgeable folks there that will be glad to discuss about anything related to these old beasts, including what is the best oil to use.   

You mean to tell me this forum has solved the age old question "what oil?". Looking forward to that thread!!  How are we making out with finding the best tire? I see there aren't a lot of options for OE sizes.. Dark side may be an option for a future sidecar project (want to include our son in rides).

[da prez]

  Just buy it. I have bought ten so far.  W E L C O M E to a great addiction.

                                            da prez

[Rams]

Welcome from Southern Mississippi.

I'm just going to say that and hope to see you sometime down the road.

Rams

[thedon]

Welcome from Wisconsin

[OttawaWill]

Would anyone have any reservations in a 1998 with 160,000km (96k miles). I am seeing quite a few options for these bikes within a few hundred KM. Some are less than 80,000km (50Kmi) but a huge price difference..(Well double the price for half the mileage) . None of the lower mileage bikes are Beige and blue...
I'm thinking my main concern is the Final Drive and what maintenance has been done to it... not something easy to check on a walk around or road test that I can tell.  Used pumpkins seem few and far between...

[Jess from VA]

You can always ask for service records (some of us keep them, and receipts, and I keep a diary on all my vehicles which does not go with any I sell, but the manual and the rest does).

[OttawaWill]

 In the thread of the Valk stunting

For sale, a gently used Valkyrie Interstate.  Never hot rodded and in great condition.  $8,000 FIRM  I know what I have.

When selling used Cars/Trucks/Bikes/etc.... everyone likes to advertise how its "well maintained" but have  next to no documentation to support its maintenance. I've made a excel/google spreadsheet to record the maintenance I complete myself.

[Jess from VA]

That's what my diary is.  Just not as neat.  Vehicle, date, miles, work done, parts used.

But you're right, saying it's well maintained is SOP, true or not. 

The thing is, a well maintained Valk at 80K miles may be a much better bike than one with 24K that was never maintained, and sat in a garage and rotted.  The lower mile bike may be brought back to life, with time and work and parts and expense... all yours.  Our longest rider is over 650K miles.

Regardless of any claims, you have to do the walk around, inspection (pulling the seat and side covers is easy and may tell a story), and test run and ride. 

[OttawaWill]

That's my thought as well. A vehicle ridden and maintained is better than a Vehicle that's sat Idle.
I'll check the tank, tires, rubber, under the seat and side covers.
Are there any secret tips to determining the final drive condition short or removing the wheel and disassembly?

[Jess from VA]

Not unless it's so bad you got slop (or noise) in the drive train.  And that can be a ujoint or the wheel dampers and not the final drive.  On test ride, while just slow rolling in first, very gently goose the throttle a few times.  A bit of slop is to be expected with any shaft drive, but more than that is telling.

If he claims to have properly serviced it, ask him to describe his work verbally in detail.  If he can't do that to your satisfaction, that is good to know. 

Something to know is that some Valks have not been well or routinely serviced, and still have good final drives.  Some do decent service and get the dreaded red rust anyway.  It's a bit of a mystery.

[Psychotic Bovine]

That's my thought as well. A vehicle ridden and maintained is better than a Vehicle that's sat Idle.
I'll check the tank, tires, rubber, under the seat and side covers.
Are there any secret tips to determining the final drive condition short or removing the wheel and disassembly?

Unfortunately, not.  You have to pull the wheel and inspect the splines.  If properly lubed (moly paste), they don't have issues.  If not properly maintained, there will be great gnashing of teeth and rending of garments in utter rage!  
But, a maintained Valkyrie is as close to immortal as a machine can be.  I know there are riders with north of half a million miles with no major repairs done.  
The 97's are the fastest by a bit, but generally get the worst gas mileage.  

[cookiedough]

yah, gas mpg varies on each Valk.  MY 98 Tourer, 81K miles, with cobra exhaust only gets 32-33 avg mpg and seems a tad faster than my 2001 Valk I/S, 42K miles,  bone stock getting 36 avg mpg on same routes.  Never seen over 35 mpg on my 98 tourer while have peaked at 39 mpg babying the 2001 Valk I/S.

[Pappy!]

Hey Will......know you from the V4 bunch.
We don't buy these bikes for gas mileage. At highway speeds expect up to mid 30s but lower than that  can surprise you with more.
The final drives, in general, are pretty bulletproof.
The driveshaft/splines/pinion cup/u-joint/bellows, drive dampers/ can all be serviced at the same time. Naturally that is also a good time for a tire change and maybe a double-row bearing modification. Read up on it.
My wife has a '98 that is a cream/blue. Gorgeous bike and you should love it if you end up with it.
Welcome to your future home !!

[GWS]

Welcome from Central New York, Will.

If you need justification to buy a third bike, you'll have it when you ride a Valkyrie for the first time. Problem solved.

Don't be afraid of buying that 98 with 90,000 miles. These bikes are famously indestructible. If a guy rode it that much, my thinking is that he must have taken good care of it. No man-made contraption ever devised by man has been more pampered than the average motorcycle. Whatever might need to be done to it maintenance-wise can be accomplished by you with the help of the guys on this forum.They're always eager to offer their expertise.

Best of luck!